4:23-25. Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
After going about Galilee teaching and preaching and healing not only were the disciples He chose following Him but crowds of people.
5:1-2. When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
Jesus walked away from the crowds to a more secluded place, followed by His chosen disciples. Once settled He began to teach them.
5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
The word for blessed here (and through verse 11) is μακάριος makarios (mä-kä'-rē-os) which means supremely blest. Not just called fortunate or spoken well of but supremely blest.
Who are the poor in spirit? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Does this refer to people who struggle with sadness or depression?
The word for spirit here is πνεῦμα pneuma (pnyü'-mä) which is the rational soul or mental disposition.
I do not understand clearly what it means that "theirs is the kingdom of heaven". Does it simply mean the gates of heaven will be open to them or that they will catch glimpses of heaven while still here on earth?
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